FRESNO, California – Nearly two billion dollars from the California Lottery has gone to Tulare, Fresno and Madera counties to improve public education since 1984.
These funds constitute 95% of the income obtained by the state lottery and it is estimated that the contribution is only a minimal part of the total budget for education.
However, “they bring valuable benefits, from updating textbooks, curricula and instructional materials, to maintaining apprenticeship, arts and athletics programs, and increasing teacher salaries,” local leaders said. through a statement.
“This funding is critical, especially to ensure that universities like ours can provide pathways to success for all of our students through whatever program they choose to pursue,” said Ghada AL-Masri, Fresno City College Vice President of Educational Services.
In a round table that brought together educational leaders from the area, the achievements made in the different programs where they have decided to support, such as the nursing program at Fresno City College, were highlighted.
On average, 464 students a year benefit from the financing of the nursing program.
“It has given me the opportunity to meet many patients and help them with translations, feel more comfortable with nurses and hospitals,” said Leticia Del Rio Lamas, a student at Fresno City College of Nursing.
Other recipients are those part of the CSU Summer Arts program, which allows hundreds of college students from across California to live and study with world-renowned artists in art, creative writing, dance, media, music, and theater.
This year it is held at Fresno State. This program receives its main funding from the Lottery,” said Rachel May Smith, the director.
Meanwhile, in the Golden Plains Unified School District in San Joaquin, officials have hired a teacher to implement a new robotics program. The Fresno Unified School District, the fourth largest in California, used its share of Lottery money to buy books and teacher salaries.
“It’s very gratifying to hear these stories,” said Carolyn Becker, spokeswoman for the California Lottery. “This is why the Lottery was created and why we do what we do.
Last year, the California Lottery generated about $2 billion for public schools, the 22nd consecutive year that more than $1 billion was raised.
